Lilac Branch
by Sparkly Faerie
Summary: An SxS moment. Syaoran has something to tell Sakura. WAFF.


**Hey everyone; I was so bored, so I asked a friend to pick a picture for me to write to – she ended up picking a picture of a cliff that I thought was particularly nice, so I used it as a prompt. I hope you like it.**

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**Disclaimer: **I do not own Card Captor or anything associated with it. All rights to Card Captor Sakura and affiliated products belong to CLAMP and the other proper entities. I make no profit from this fanfiction; it was written purely for fun.

**Summary: **An SxS moment. Syaoran has something to tell Sakura. WAFF.

**Rating: **K

**Pairings: **SxS

**Genre: **Romance

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**Lilac Branch**

She tucked a hair behind her ear as a gust of wind pulled it out of place. A small smile played at the corner of her lips as she fingered the small lilac branch she'd been presented the night before. The petals were a little bruised as her fingers absently traced their shape, the nail on the tip damaging the delicate blossoms even more. The wind tugged her hair back out of place.

The sky was tinged with grey, the cloud cover not thick enough to hide the weak autumn rays of sun that attempted to break through. It was not unbearably cold out, but she wore a thick sweater, just in case. Her skirt ruffled in the breeze.

Her smile grew as she heard the crunch of gravel behind her. "I thought you'd never make it." She sighed in relief, not turning to look at the person behind her. A small chuckle was her answer as the unknown person wrapped their long, warm arms around her.

"I told you I'd be here."

"You did." She looked up at the young man. Emerald eyes glinted playfully as she regarded him. "Do I have you to thank for my gift?" She held up the small branch, twirling it for him to appraise.

"Nope." He shook his head. "That was all his idea."

"That nephew of yours is a little sweetie." She traced the blossoms again, her smile wistful. "If only mine were as agreeable."

"You only have a niece."

"Exactly."

The two of them laughed together. It was a warm sound; the deep chuckle that reverberated in his chest. She felt it rumble throughout her entire body as she melted into him. "So why'd you call me out here?" She asked him, turning to catch a glimpse of his dark eyes as he retreated from her. The sudden emptiness of the space around her caused her to shiver from the bite of the cold. "Syaoran?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "There're some things I need to tell you." He said slowly, weighing his words. She blinked at him, innocently confused. "Sakura…" he sighed, "you know I have obligations… back home."

Her eyes narrowed in understanding. "You're leaving me." It was not a question, or an accusation; merely a statement of fact. Turning from him, she closed her eyes as the wind took her hair into the air again. By the time her eyes opened again, there was nothing in them. They were blank. "I understand." Her voice was hard. "I pretty much knew this was coming."

"You know I wouldn't if I had a choice in the matter."

"I know."

The air continued to warm up as the morning wore on, despite the increasingly chilly atmosphere between the two. "Sakura?"

"What?"

"I meant what I said, you know." He reminded her. "Every word."

"I know you did." Her voice broke ever so slightly on the last word. He heard it, but made no comment.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise." He tried.

"So you want me to hang around for another five years?" She whirled around to face him again. "I can't _do_ that again, Syaoran!" She shook her head. "Maybe a month, but I can't wait that long again."

"Sakura…" he reached out to hear, his hand hesitating in the space between them. "Sakura, you know I love you." He dropped his hand at her flinch.

Her eyes closed as she pressed her hands together over her mouth. "I know you do." The hesitation wasn't due to a lack of belief, merely her own pain; there was only blinding truth in the statement. She knew that. "I feel the same."

"What? You love yourself?" His voice was shaky as he attempted to put light on the situation.

Her answering chuckle was weak at best. "Among other things." She exhaled deeply, not quite a sigh. Stepping forward again, she moulded herself against his body, feeling his embrace wrap itself around her small form. "What am I going to do without you?" She asked, so quiet that he wondered if he was meant to hear her at all. He silently concluded that he was not.

His large form protected her from the gentle breeze that lapped at them, ruffling their clothing and hair. Kissing the crown of her head, he mulled over his thoughts. Staring out over the cliff as he gently rocked her from side to side, he rested his chin on the top of her head. "I don't want to leave."

"I wont ask you to stay." She countered abruptly. "You have a responsibility to your family."

"I have a responsibility to you, too."

"Your responsibilities to your family should come first."

"I don't want to lose you."

"You don't have to."

Her statement took him by surprise. "Sakura?" He backed up to look at her in astonishment. "Sakura, what…?"

She smiled up at him shyly, her eyes fixed at some point on his throat, unable to look him in the eyes. "Remember that discussion we had, about three months ago?" She prompted as she fiddled with the collar of his shirt.

"You don't have to do that for me." He frowned.

"I would anyway." She reassured him. "If you'll have me."

He paused for a moment. Smiling slightly, he pulled himself away from her, his eyes laughing a little, but also showing nerves, as he lowered himself to one knee before her. The hurt expression that had clouded her features at the initial separation disappeared into the blush that covered her cheeks at the sight before her. He took her hand gently, clasping it lightly between two of his own. "Syaoran…" her voice was breathless.

His answering smile was dazzling. "Sakura, I can't ask you to leave your life behind for me, without providing you some sort of security." He explained briefly. "I don't have a ring with me, but…" he cleared his throat, "Sakura, will you marry me?"

She dropped to her own knees before him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She laughed as she kissed him soundly. "Yes." She breathed, barely managing to get the word out between kisses. "God, yes." He laughed as he stood, lifting her slight weight with him. Spinning her once, twice, three times in his laughter, he kissed her again.

Forgotten, the lilac branch that she dropped at the first kiss floated in the breeze toward the bottom of the cliff, and was swallowed by the sea.

**THE END**

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Thanks for reading.

**Sparkly Faerie**


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